But as her boyfriend's body was never found, she was forced to face her fears and return to the scene of the crime, on a new mission to find him — and peace.

Hayes told News Corp Australia: “Joanne was like the English version of Lindy Chamberlain,” even after Murdoch was charged and convicted over Falconio’s killing.

“There were people on the police force who didn’t believe her and that made her upset. She has been formally diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). She can’t sleep at night until she feels she has done everything she can to try and find Peter’s body.

“If she is ever going to move forward she has got to do it now. She has not remarried. She has not had children. Her life has stalled.”

“We were just young and carefree,” she said. “We had no idea what was going to happen. We thought we had the rest or our lives together. Who would expect … a gunman? Horror movies have been made of the events that happened to me.”

Reporter Liz Hayes had never met Joanne before filming this one-hour episode.

She said: “I didn’t know what to expect from her. When I first met her she was definitely very suspicious of me and of all media. She was very distrusting. In her mind there is no such thing as a good journalist.

"I had no doubt in my mind that this is a woman who has suffered a terrible crime. She is without doubt the victim of a horrendous attack and lucky to be alive.

The loved-up couple were travelling across Australia, aged 28, when tragedy struck

“I came away appalled by the suspicion that she was treated with. I can’t imagine what that was like. Think about it — you’ve been attacked, you’ve almost died, your partner’s been murdered and not only do people not believe that but they think you’re some part of it.

“I was devastated when she said to me ‘I wish I’d died out there because living has been sheer hell’.”

During 60 Minutes filming in December, a French tourist, Philippe Jegouzo, was stabbed to death in outback Northern Territory.

Missing notices were still being circulated 10 years on from Peter's death as his body has never been found

Hayes said: “We’d been in exactly the same place only four hours before.

“It was pretty appalling timing for her. The whole place has horrific memories. She’s still highly traumatised. But I do think there have been some very big positives that have come from [filming].

“She’s capable of laughter and smiling and there is a light and funny side to her and she is quite easy to be with.

“It has been a good thing for her to come back and I am pleased I can say that. There would be nothing worse than her deciding she needed to do this and go 'that was still the worst thing I could have ever done'.”

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